When a team allows a 10-point lead to get away in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, it does not leave much room for what is considered a success the following year.
That’s where the 49ers were in February. They led the Kansas City Chiefs 20-10. Then, the offense sputtered and the defense allowed three touchdowns in the final seven minutes.
The 49ers return for the 2020 season with their last memory coming from walking off the field at Super Bowl LIV with Andy Reid’s Chiefs celebrating.
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“I know we were good enough to win that Super Bowl and we didn’t, and that’s something we have to live with,” coach Kyle Shanahan said during the 49ers State of the Franchise event.
“And that’s why the state of the franchise right now is we got to get right back to that moment. We got to get right back to that fourth quarter and get to have a lead and we got to finish the job.”
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Shanahan said he is eagerly anticipating the opening of training camp, which will be the first time he has seen the players on the field after the Super Bowl disappointment.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers finished with a 13-3 record and won the NFC West. The team cruised through the NFC playoffs before losing to Kansas City. The on-field portion of NFL offseason programs was wiped out due to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“I didn’t want to go through this offseason. I want to get right back to where we left on in February and I know we have to go through a season and it’s going to be a lot harder to do -- a lot harder,” Shanahan said. “We can play a lot better and still not do what we did last time. That’s why all of our guys have to take this challenge and we got to take advantage of this offseason and we got to still find a way to take a step ahead of other people because everyone is chasing us right now and it hasn’t been that way.”
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Shanahan felt -- and the first 3 ½ quarters of the Super Bowl seemed to prove -- the 49ers were good enough to win a championship last season. But Shanahan warns that even if the 49ers are better this season, it might not be reflected in an improved record or a Super Bowl title.
“We had as good of an opportunity as you can ever have to be a champion, and we came up just short. So that’s by all means what we’re going for this year,” Shanahan said.